Beyond Devotion
by Tifa Gainsborough
Summary: A freak thunderstorm changed the life's of four individuals. Witness their story, a story about two very special couples.
1. A Strange Storm

The sun slowly set over the quiet town of Kalm. Tifa Lockhart stood at the window of the house she shared with Cloud Strife. It had been nearly eight months since Sephiroth's defeat and meteor had been destroyed over the city of Midgar thanks to the combined efforts of Holy and Lifestream.

"It's going to rain," Cloud said watching the dark storm cloud's roll over the evening sky. 

"Thanks for stating the obvious," Tifa said with a smile. 

She was sad to notice that Cloud did not return it. Cloud had been living with Tifa for only a few months and it had been a very strained few months. Cloud's thoughts always wandered back to that day in the Northern Crater. He would be so distant when he thought about his battle with Sephiroth. He became a different person completely when those memories overtook him. 

"Did you realize it's been eight months exactly today that we beat Sephiroth," Cloud said startling Tifa from her memories.

"I don't really give it much thought," Tifa said. She was upset to realize his mind was on Sephiroth again. _It's always Sephiroth,_ Tifa thought sadly,_ he seems to have completely forgotten Aerith_. 

"Eight months since Aerith…" Tifa tried to bring herself to say the word killed but was unable to.

"Died," Cloud finished for her. 

Tifa nodded watching the blonde haired man carefully. He was able to say it with such ease it startled her.

"Do you miss her," Tifa asked. 

Cloud shrugged looking away from Tifa. 

"Sure I miss her," Cloud said, but his voice didn't give Tifa the feeling that he really did. Outside thunder boomed and lightning cut paths through the dark clouds. 

"Do you love me?" Tifa gasped and covered her mouth with her hand. 

She couldn't believe those words had just escaped her lips. Cloud turned to look at her, his blue eyes were puzzled. He didn't say anything for the longest time, he just watched her.

"I don't know," Cloud said. 

Tears welled in Tifa's eyes and she quickly turned away from him, not wanting him to see her tears. 

"Did I say the wrong thing?"

Tifa shook her head, her long brown hair flew around her face. Rain began to pelt the window like little fingers tapping on the glass. 

"I've got a lot of things on my mind, Tifa. You can't expect me to think about you every single day," Cloud told her coming to stand next to her. 

He rested his right hand on her shoulder. His fingers squeezed her shoulder gently and it sent waves of warmth through her body. She shrugged it off angrily and turned to him.

"I never asked you to think about me all the time! I just asked you a simple question," Tifa told him her lower lip quivering, tears still threatened to fall despite her anger. Thunder boomed overhead cause Tifa to jump slightly.

"Well that's what it sounds like," Cloud countered loudly.

"Where in my question did you get the impression I was asking if you thought about me every day," Tifa asked lighting ripped through the clouds outside.

Cloud opened his mouth but a loud explosion cut his words off. The room plunged into darkness and Tifa lost sight of Cloud. "I thought that's what you meant," Cloud said.

"Well I didn't," Tifa said crossing her arms over her ample breasts. 

Thunder and lightning continued outside and the tiny squabble inside turned into a full-blown fight.

"All you think about is Sephiroth," Tifa screamed grabbing a lamp off the table.

"And all you think about is yourself," Cloud yelled back, dodging the lamp Tifa threw. 

"You don't care about your friends! Cid has called twice and neither time did you return his calls. You're just to busy worrying about Sephiroth to call anybody back. Sephiroth is dead! You killed him, move on!" Tifa's whole body was shaking with rage. She had never felt anger like this before in her entire life.

"I know he's dead!" 

Tifa grabbed another item off the end table and hurled it at Cloud. 

Cloud ducked the flying object and began to yell again. "I know I killed him! You're just jealous because you weren't strong enough to defeat him! You weren't strong enough to avenge your father!"

Tifa gasped, unable to believe what Cloud had just said. The look on Cloud's face told her he couldn't believe it either. 

"I'm sorry Tifa. I didn't mean that," Cloud told her quietly. 

Tifa could only stand there and stare at him. She wished she could speak but words escaped her. The air in the room felt heavy and Tifa was finding it harder to breathe.

"Do you feel that?" Cloud was apparently feeling the change in the air too. 

Tifa dropped to one knee fighting desperately to draw air into her burning lungs. Cloud tried to reach her, but soon he too dropped to his knees clutching his throat. Lighting crashing outside and Cloud Strife and Tifa Lockhart knew no more.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The morning sun cast golden rays into the small living room of the house in Kalm. Two figures lay still on the ground. Tifa Lockhart gave a groan and slowly raised herself so she rested on her elbows. She rose to her feet even slower, her palm rested on her aching head. 

"What is going on," she wondered out loud. 

Her eyes shot open wide as she heard her own voice. She raised her left hand to her lips and curiously laid two fingers over her mouth. She looked around the room taking in her surroundings. "Where am I?"

She walked out of the living room, smiling lightly as the carpet tickled her bare toes. She opened the first door she came across and ran her hand up and down the wall searching for a light switch. Her fingers brushed it and she flipped it up. A toilet and bathtub greeted her when the glowing light illuminated the room. That was all well and good but it wasn't what she was looking for. She turned slowly to her right and spotted the mirror. 

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!" 

Her screams filled the small bathroom and awoke the other person still lying on the floor in the living room with a start. She pointed to her reflection, her mouth working but no words were being admitted. 

Cloud Strife walked down the hallway briskly in the direction of the screams. He stopped in the doorway and opened his mouth to say something but stopped. She turned to him and pointed at him her hand shaking wildly.

"Who are you!?"

"Who are you," he asked back just as puzzled.

"I asked you first," she said, still pointing.

"Well I'm….."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

****

Authors Note: Beyond Devotion. Updated and with a new chapter on the way. 


	2. Naming Names

She stood rooted to the ground in the bathroom. Her entire body was shaking with nerves. _This is just not happening_ she thought, her mind was racing wildly trying to come up with an explanation. _I recognize the face but something is definitely different about him_ she mused to herself. The way he stood so straight, his arms crossed over his chest. His gaze was so precise, taking in all of his surroundings. His facial expression was one that was able to pull off boredom and curiosity at the same time. It was not Cloud, she'd only known one man able to pull off that look.

"I am Sephiroth."

__

I think I'm going to faint she thought the room spinning. Instead she settled for something equally helpful.

"AHHHHHHHHH!"

Sephiroth cringed as the decibels of her scream slowly began to rise. "It would be more helpful if you did not scream," he said, trying to be heard over her screams.

"Sorry," she whispered, her screams subsiding.

"Now that we have established who I am. Would you tell me who you are," Sephiroth said. His voice was so calm, it was so weird hearing his form of speech coming from Cloud's mouth.

"Aerith Gainsborough," she told him.

"The flower girl from the slums," he stated simply.

"Yes, the one you tried to cut in half," she muttered, crossing her arms over Tifa's large chest. _Man, these boobs are making my back ache_ she thought resisting the urge to rub her lower back. She didn't see how Tifa was able to handle the extra weight.

"Shall we continue this conversation somewhere more spacious?"

  
Sephiroth had either not heard her comment or was choosing to ignore it. It dawned on Aerith that Sephiroth was standing very close. She would have playfully pushed him aside if it had been Cloud. But now she had to nearly force herself to remember it was not Cloud standing in front of her, but Sephiroth in Cloud's body.

"Would you like me to step aside," Sephiroth asked with a slight chuckle. Aerith repressed a scream of rage and finally pushed past Sephiroth. He followed her out into the kitchen.

"It appears Strife and Tifa were having a fight," Sephiroth observed looking at the remains of two lamps scattered over the living room floor. 

"It appears that way," Aerith said, up righting an end table that had been flipped over. "Do you have any of Cloud's memories or thoughts?"

Sephiroth shook his head. "All my thoughts are my own. Do you have any of Tifa's thoughts?"

"No." 

Sephiroth entered the kitchen and took a seat at the kitchen table. Aerith was careful to stand as far away from the table as possible. "I'm not going to bite," he said with a smirk.

"One can never be to careful," Aerith said leaning up against a counter watching Sephiroth carefully.

Sephiroth watched her equally cautious, nothing was going to get past him, the day was already strange to begin with. He watched as she crossed and uncrossed her arms nervously.

"How did this happen," Aerith finally asked.

"I don't know. One minute I'm drifting along in my eternal hell and next I'm awoken by screaming," Sephiroth said simply. "But believe me, I will find out."

"Same here. I wasn't even thinking about Cloud and Tifa. The next I know I am Tifa," Aerith said with a visible shudder. 

Sephiroth stood up abruptly, knocking over the chair he was sitting in. He exiting the kitchen his stride fast.

"Where are you going," Aerith asked.

"To Shinra. Perhaps they will know some answers," Sephiroth explained pulling the door open.

"NO!" Aerith bolted across the kitchen desperate to catch Sephiroth. She grabbed onto his arm and pulled his right hand off the doorknob.

"What are you doing," he questioned.

"Do you not realize what is happening? You are not in Sephiroth's body. You are in Cloud Strife's body and Cloud would never go to Shinra for help. He hates Shinra, people would most certainly know something is up if you walked into Shinra demanding answers," Aerith explained holding his wrist.

"You're right. Then I suppose I will just have to find the answer's on my own," Sephiroth said calmly.

"No, that would be even stranger. Cloud would never just up and leave for no apparent reason. He would tell his friends and Tifa would most certainly go with him," Aerith said.

"You are not coming with me," Sephiroth muttered.

"Thankfully no, I wouldn't go with you. But you can't leave and that's final."

Sephiroth merely nodded to her, accepting the in veritable. He looked down and Aerith followed his gaze. 

Her hand was still clutching his wrist, she pulled her hand back quickly.

"Shall we tell everybody else," Sephiroth asked sitting lazily in a chair.

"No," Aerith said shutting the door. "They wouldn't be able to understand. You being Sephiroth and alive. Even I don't entirely understand it."

"You are not alone there."

Aerith turned to look at him. She looked Sephiroth up and down, taking in all of Cloud's…_ That is not Cloud it's Sephiroth_ she reminded herself again. "Why aren't you crazy?"

Sephiroth laughed, he actually gave a true laugh. 

"You mean why haven't I tried to destroy the city?" 

Aerith nodded. 

"When I was killed by Strife and his group, the voices stopped. Now I hear nothing, I have my own memories and can control them as I see fit."

"So you aren't going to be killing me anytime in the near future?"

"I believe you are safe. But we must face facts. Strife and Tifa's friends will notice something is wrong with their friends sooner or later," Sephiroth said.

"Then we just have to be careful," Aerith said. "I wonder something."

"What," Sephiroth asked.

"If we are here. What happened to Cloud and Tifa?"


	3. Heaven and Hell

The house was quiet, as the sun slowly set. The two residents of the house could be found in their rooms, as far from each other as possible. Aerith was in Tifa's room, looking franticly for something a little less revealing to wear. Her face broke out into a large grin when she came across a normal baby-blue sweater. She pulled it off the hanger and slipped it over her head still grinning. Aerith turned to the mirror and her smile slowly slipped from her face. 

"Why is this happening to me," she questioned the quiet room. Her only answer was silence.

Meanwhile in another room down the hall Sephiroth was sprawled out on Cloud's bed. Rarely did he, the great Sephiroth, sprawl. The fascination of his new development had worn off and now he was simply bored. The closet was slightly open and something was reflecting the light sitting on the bedside table. For once in his life he was glad he didn't have to share a bed with a woman.

Curiosity overtook him and he eased off the bed with as little noise as possible. He crossed the bedroom floor and slowly slid open the door. Sitting in the closet was Cloud's sword. _The very sword that took my life_. He reached out and grasped the handle. He swung it around with ease, Cloud's body use to the weight of the large Ultima Weapon. 

"Intriguing," he said, his boredom disappearing completely. 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Tifa Lockhart slowly opened her eyes and swiftly shut them again. _Something is wrong_ she realized when she discovered the ground under her back was not her living room floor. Finally, with great effort, she opened her eyes and kept them open. Not to her great surprise her surroundings were not those of the house she shared with Cloud in Kalm. 

"Where am I?" Were the first words out of her mouth. 

"The Promised Land," a bunny said hopping by. 

Talking bunnies Tifa thought, _could it get any worse?_ She looked down and found out that it could get worse. Her normally curvy body was gone. Her white tank top and black skirt were replaced by a dress of pure pink. Why was the dress so familiar to her? Realization hit her like a ton of bricks dropped from a hill on her head. 

"I'm in the lifestream," she stated. "In Aerith's body." 

"Is something wrong," the bunny asked hopping up and down on it's small hind legs at her feet.

"There won't be a problem if you just hop that little furry ass of yours away from me," she stated, the words sounded so odd coming from Aerith Gainsborough's mouth. The bunny hopped away with such speed it amazed her. 

Tifa stood up and looked at her surroundings. As far as the eye could see there were flowers. All sorts of flowers, flowers Tifa didn't even know existed. _One could go crazy here._ She began to walk through the field of flowers towards what appeared to be a house. 

"So what do you think is happening Cloud?" 

Tifa continued to walk, waiting patiently for Cloud to answer. When his answer didn't come she began to grow suspicious. She searched around the vast field of flowers searching for him.

"Cloud!" 

She ran through the path of fields, not caring that she was crushing half of the flowers. She ran faster, continuing to call out his name. She searched desperately, her vision began to blur with tears. 

"Answer me!" She brushed tears from her eyes. "CLOUD!" Her scream could be heard throughout Aerith's Promised Land and her personal hell.

~*~*~*~*~*~

Cloud Strife's body felt light, as though it was floating through the air. His head was pounding and there was an eerie sound coming from nearby. He opened his eyes and gasped loudly. All around him were dark, bitter pictures of hell.

"Nibelhiem," Cloud muttered as a very familiar scene flashed before his eyes. The fire even included the screams of the citizens. He saw people fall for windows, their bodies engulfed in flames. The fire disappeared and was replaced by the Mako reactor.

He was forced to watch Sephiroth cut through Tifa's father like paper. Mr. Lockhart's blood splattered the ground and Sephiroth calmly walked on. The scene blinked out to that of Tifa and Sephiroth struggling over possession to the Masamune. Sephiroth won and raised the sword high.

"NO!" 

Cloud realized that his screams could not be heard. Sephiroth swung the Masamune and it cut a path across Tifa's chest and stomach. The force of the blow sent Tifa plummeting down the stairs. Blood arched through the air, after her airborne body. She hit a first set of stairs and then another. Until, finally, she lay still. 

"Tifa," he moaned unable to bring himself to do much else. The picture blinked out and Cloud forced his eyes shut. But the pictures continued, even though his eyes were closed. 

Cloud recognized the familiar setting of the Forgotten City. _I don't want to see this!_ But hell paid him no mind. 

Aerith, kneeling, was praying for Holy, the savior of the planet. He could see himself watching the praying Ancient. He was then forced to relive his worst nightmare.

Sephiroth plummeted from the ceiling, his Masamune poised, ready to strike. Cloud's screams of rage filled his mind but still hell continued. The sword slammed into Aerith's body and cut through her. The look on Aerith's face was one he had seen countless times. Sephiroth pulled the Masamune from Aerith's body, a small smile played on his lips. The Masamune came out blood stained, taking Aerith's life from her body. 

The picture finally blinked out and was replaced with one Cloud had never witnessed before. A field of wildflowers, as far as the eye could see. Cloud felt his rage slipping, the picture was one he didn't need to fear. Then he saw her, Tifa, standing in the field waving to him with a large smile. He tried to raise his arm to wave back to her but found it impossible. 

Fear raced through him again when he saw the shadowy figure standing to Tifa's right shoulder. Sephiroth raised his Masamune and gave Cloud a nasty wink. He swung his mighty sword wide. Tifa's head was cut from its body, blood sprayed Sephiroth who was now smiling. Tifa's head floated to the ground, her long beautiful hair flying behind the severed head. The severed head hit the ground, a smile still on those dead lips. Sephiroth's harsh laughter filled his ears.

"TIFA!!!!!"

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Tifa trudged through the fields, occasionally a sob would escape her lips but other than that she was quiet. She had deposited the jacket that went with the dress a few hours ago, in her search for Cloud.

"Never did like that jacket," Tifa mused.

She had run for what seemed like hours with no sign of Cloud. She had given up when the sun had begun to set. She had decided to head back to the house she had seen earlier. The talkative bunny's followed her, but they kept a good distance away from her. She reached the house finally. _If the walls are pink I'm going to scream_ she thought pushing the door open.

"Thank heaven," she whispered when she saw the walls where a normal shade of white. She kicked the door closed and tossed the jacked on a chair. Her stomach growled in protest when she thought it would be just best to get some rest.

"Fine, fine," she said whipping up something for her to eat. She ate in silence, listening to crickets that sat just outside the window. Once the food was gone, yawns overtook her. She slipped into the bedroom and out of the pink dress. She crawled into bed wrapping the blankets around her body. 

"I hope wherever you are Cloud, it's not as bad as having bunny's talk to you," she whispered before falling asleep. 

How wrong she was.


	4. The Promise Land

Cloud shifted uncomfortably in hell, stifling a sigh of frustration. _I hate this place_, Cloud thought bitterly. Every time he closed his eyes he could see Tifa's decapitated head smiling at him. Cloud could almost hear Sephiroth laughing at him, Tifa's blood splashed on his cruel face.

"Why am I here? What is happening to me!"

The darkness gave Cloud no answer and he continued to drift aimlessly. _I wonder where Tifa is?_ Cloud's mind began to run a mile a minute. _If I'm here, where's Sephiroth? What if he's in my body? Who will he kill next?_ Cloud paused in his thought process.

"Cloud."

The voice was breathy that echoed loudly in the emptiness. 

"Who's there?"

"You let me die Cloud," the eerie voice laughed. 

Cloud's head darted around, trying to find the owner to the voice. He looked over to his right and gasped.

Aerith was floating, her dress waving around her legs. She was giving him a bright warm smile. But this wasn't the Aerith that Cloud remembers from before. Her eyes were glazed over a milky white. Her midsection was stained crimson, turning her normally pink dress into an ugly shade of red.

"Aerith," he whispered trying to reach out to her. 

"You let us die," a new voice taunted him.

Cloud's gaze focused on something behind Aerith. Cloud's Mako eyes grew in size and he was forced to bite his lip to keep from screaming. 

A charred body was floating behind Aerith and to her right. The face and blonde hair belonged to his mother.

"Mother," he whispered.

His mothers black lips opened in a vicious smile. The two bodies floated closer to Cloud and he wanted nothing more than to back up. But the harder he tried to back step the faster they got. 

"Get away," he pleaded as Aerith got within a hand width of him. 

"Son," his mother moaned, her voice cracking. 

"Get back!"

Aerith grabbed onto his right arm, her bleeding midsection pressed up against his side. His mother grabbed onto his other arm. One hand broke off, landing with a thud on Cloud's foot. But that didn't faze her in the slightest. 

"We want you to stay with us," Aerith purred into his ear.

"For eternity," his mother said.

Hands wrapped around his neck, making him shiver. Cloud looked over his shoulder as Aerith gently stroked his face. _NO!_

Tifa's headless body leaned up against his back. Cloud squeezed his eyes shut and screamed. Cloud didn't know how long he screamed, all he remembered was wanting to escape.

"Are you finished?"

Cloud opened his eyes slightly, stopping his screaming. A purple haired woman was staring at him, her arms crossed over her chest. She was wearing jeans and a purple sweater; her eyes were an unmistakable shade of lavender. 

"Who are you," Cloud asked.

"Why so many questions, you know who I am," the woman stated with a flip of her purple hair.

Cloud shook his head, long locks of silver hair fell into his eyes. _Stupid Sephiroth and his long hair_, Cloud thought shoving it out of his face. 

"You don't know who I am? Well now isn't that interesting."

Cloud frowned, "What are you talking about?"

"Let me guess, you're not Sephiroth," she said.

"What was your first clue?"

"The attitude. Well then, if you aren't Sephiroth, would you mind explaining just who you are," the woman said.

From the tone of her voice it wasn't a question. 

"Cloud Strife."

The woman's lavender eyes widened, "Not the Cloud Strife. The one that killed Sephiroth?"

"The very same. How do you know I killed Sephiroth?" This woman intrigued Cloud. 

"Practically everybody has heard of you. Sephiroth never stops bitching about you. Once he got here it was Cloud this and Cloud that," the woman said, throwing up her hands in mock frustration. 

"Where exactly is here?" 

The woman gave Cloud a smile. _Is everything about her purple?_ Cloud had never seen purple lipstick before. Well there's a first time for everything.

"Why the Promise Land of course."

Cloud blinked several times before finding words. "T-the Pr-Promise Land? I always thought," Cloud trailed off when the woman began to laugh.

"Of course it's the Promise Land. What did you think it was going to look like?"

The woman's eyes grew big and Cloud could almost swear they were sparkling, "Did you think it was full of blue skies, pretty flowers, and talking bunnies?"

Cloud blushed slightly, looking away. _I never thought everybody was able to get a Promise Land_.

"Let me break it to ya kid. Everybody gets to go to a Promise Land. Nobody goes to the same exact place. The Promise Land each person goes to is based upon the individual. Its about your personality and what you did with your life that will shape your Promise Land," the purple woman explained. 

"So how did you get here if this is Sephiroth's Promise Land," Cloud wanted to know.

"All the places like this are the same. You can run into a lot of people around here. I was just talking with Hojo, the slimy bastard, before I came over to investigate your screaming," the woman explained.

"Hojo is here?"

She nodded, "So is President Shinra and a bunch of other people. People that came long before your time kid."

Cloud was not happy with this woman, who was clearly younger than him, calling him a kid. "What's with these visions I've been having?"

"Its your own personal hell kiddo. The worst events in your life you are forced to relive. Or it could also be things in your life that are traumatic that you fear, that have yet to happen."

"How long have you been here?"

The woman looked thoughtful for a few minutes, simply staring off into space. "A long time. Lets just say I knew Hojo long before he was mad. Also long before Sephiroth was a name on the wind. I should get going."

The woman turned to go, giving Cloud a wave.

"Wait," Cloud called.

The woman turned, "Yes?"

"You never said your name."

"Violet. Catch ya later Cloudy boy," Violet said.

Violet blew Cloud a kiss and drifted off.

"She has got to be the strangest person I have ever met," Cloud mussed out loud.

"Cloud," Aerith's voice whispered in his ear again.

__

Not again!


	5. Warm Water, Memories

The springs of the mattress creaked under his weight when he shifted positions. Sephiroth lay on his back, staring up at the dark ceiling. The only light in the room was the eerie red glow of the clock. Sky blue eyes slowly shifted to glance at the numbers. 

__

3:30 and here I lie awake. Stuck with these memories and nothing to keep them away.

He couldn't remember the last time he was simply able to lay and think. His mind was always occupied with one thing or another. Yet the current situation left him with nothing to do. Unable to go anywhere for fear of being discovered and Aerith refused to speak with him. 

__

Aerith.

As hard as he tried, his mind was always wandering back to the Cetra. At times he could still feel the cold grip of Masamune in his hand as it plunged deep into the Cetra's body. Seeing in his mind the splatter of crimson blood on his black boots. 

With a groan he grabbed a pillow and smothered his face with it. But still his mind was flooded with images. He was Sephiroth, the best general Shinra ever saw. He didn't deserve these thoughts and images. In his mind he could remember palming the fire materia. Still feel the flames licking at his body as Nibelheim burned.

__

A blonde woman lying on the floor of a house. A beam from the ceiling crushing her fragile body. An immense pain deep within his chest.

Sephiroth shot straight up, the pillow lost to the floor. Those thoughts and feelings had not been his own. Somewhere, deep within his subconscious, Strife was there. 

__

So Strife, you haven't completely left your body after all. Does that mean there is still hope?

When it was morning he would have to ask Aerith if she had any lingering thoughts that didn't belong to her. A frown overtook his face, remembering that Aerith was a Cetra. She probably has many memories that didn't belong to her. Yet it wouldn't hurt to actually ask to see. Perhaps some of the memories were distinct enough to be recognized as Tifa's. He had been thinking about Nibelhiem when that thought had overtake him. 

With another glance at the clock he realized he had been lying there for almost an hour. Rubbing his head he wondered if he had fallen asleep momentarily and that was why he had those thoughts. Swinging over the bed he grabbed the discarded pillow and propped his head up lying back finally. Heavy eye lids began to slowly drift shut and sleep overtook him. 

~*~*~*~*~*~

Warm water cascaded over the pale skin. Aerith slowly washed the soap from her body, enjoying the feel of the water against her skin. With a mental shake she remembered that it wasn't actually her body. Her body was lying under a watery grave where she had died. The water from the shower had made her recall that day. It also had brought about more memories. Touching her midsection out of reflex she sighed remembered that there was no mark. 

It had taken her a few days to get accustomed to being in Tifa's body. Slippery fingers traced the scar the ripped across Tifa's body. It started above her left breast and ran diagonal between her breasts almost crossing onto her back. Once she had asked Tifa about the angry red scar on her body. 

__

"I got this scar trying to stop Sephiroth when I was younger. You could call it the price I had to pay."

Those words had never left her mind, digging in and finding a home. With a mental shake she sent the thoughts away. Grasping the handle, with a twist to the left the water slipped away. Stepping out of the shower she shivered as the cold air tickled her skin. Shaking hands grabbed the maroon towel she had tossed on the closed toilet seat. 

Beads of water were pooling on her skin as she dried herself off. Slipping the robe on she twisted her long brown hair up in the towel. With one finally glace at Tifa's face in the mirror Aerith opened the door.

Aerith froze in the doorway, one hand clutching the bathrobe tight over her ample chest. Sephiroth stood in the doorway in nothing but a pair of boxers, a large towel under one arm. He looked her up and down then focused on her face.

  
"Finished with the bathroom," he asked in a sullen voice.

  
Aerith tried to keep her eyes from roaming downwards. Sephiroth wasn't helping much as he leaned against the door frame with a sigh. Running his fingers through spiky blonde hair made it even worse. A seductive smile played on his lips and Aerith fumed.

  
"Like what you see?"

  
"No!" Aerith said, her cheeks flushing pink

  
"Good," Sephiroth said, his voice slipping over her skin like satin. "That means you don't like Cloud. One day you'll see me in my own body and your answer will be different."

"You are full of yourself," she snapped.

"No, just confident," he explained with a smirk. 

She wanted nothing more that to slap that smirk off his face. Two fingers gently touched the sleeve of her robe and she had enough. The sounds of flesh striking flesh echoed through the bathroom. Slowly she lowered her stinging hand, hardly believing what she had just done.

"Bitch," Sephiroth snarled as an angry red welt blossomed on his cheek.

__

I can't believe I just slapped him! I have never struck a person like that before. 

"Get out of my way."

Aerith could almost see the gears working inside his brain. For a moment she feared the he would strike her. Slowly he stepped aside and gave her a mock bow, allowing her to pass. Heavy footsteps carried her out of the bathroom and down the hall to Tifa's room. The heavy bedroom door slammed shut and finally she could relax. She hadn't realized she had been holding her breath until her chest began to burn. Cool air invaded her lungs, her shoulders slumping. 

__

I hate this.

~*~*~*~*~*~

"Woman! Sit down," Sephiroth snapped as he entered the living room.

Aerith froze, one hand gripping the arm of the chair. Her legs were bent as she had been trying to stand. With a frown she refused to obey and rose to her feet.

"Don't tell me what to do," her voice was heavy when she spoke.

"It's been two weeks already. Every time I walk into a room you get up and leave," he explained dropping onto the couch.

"One can't really blame me," she spoke. 

Whatever Cloud did to his hair to make it spike Sephiroth refused to do. It was still foreign to her seeing his long blonde hair cascading around his face. 

"What are you looking at," he asked, seeing her stare.

"Your hair."

Reaching up he grabbed a few golden locks and waved them in front of his face watching the strands. "His hair is naturally spiked. I just use some…"

Covering her mouth she fought hard not to giggle. Apparently he wasn't sure what he used.

"Well?"

Hair fell back into place when he released it. "What are you laughing at? I was a general for Shinra, not a hair care specialist."

That comment was too much for the former flower girl. Collapsing back into the chair in a fit of giggles brought another frown to Sephiroth's face.

"I don't see the humor in it." 

Aerith opened her mouth to speak again when the sound of knocking cut her off. Eyes snapped to the front door, neither making a move. 

"Open the damn door," the familiar voice of Cid Highwind bellowed.

"Wonderful," Sephiroth sneered softly, with a roll of his eyes. "You deal with it. I'm locking myself in Strife's room."

Wide eyes watched as Sephiroth stalked from the room, jumping slightly as a door down the hall slammed shut. Although she couldn't really blame him, she was dreading the day she would have to pull off being Tifa with the rest of the group. With a deep breath she pushed out of the chair and walked to the door.

"Hi Cid," she greeted swinging the door open.

"About damn time. How are you doing?"

"Pretty good," Aerith said refusing to meet his eyes. "What are you doing here Cid?"

"Cloud here," Cid asked, glancing around her to peer into the living room.

"He's not home," she said swiftly. As much as she wanted to see the old pilot again now was not the best time. "I'll tell him you came by."

"Anything wrong," Cid asked finally looking at her.

"No!"

One eyebrow shot into his hairline at the quickness of her words. Mentally, she gave herself a shake, forcing herself to calm down. 

"I think he said he went to Midgar for something," she said, forcing herself to lie. "I would try there."

Digging a cigarette our of his pocket the old pilot finally nodded. "Well, I will see you around."

  
"Bye Cid," she waved shutting the door behind him. "You can come out now."

Silence echoed through the small house and Aerith began to grow impatient. _Come on Sephiroth, stop being such a jerk and open the door_. 

"Cid's gone! You can stop hiding," she called walking down the hallway.

Stopping at the door she looked it up and down, waiting. Still no sound emerged from the single occupant. Grasping the door handle she found it to be unlocked. Slowly she opened the door, pushing it open. Glancing around the door she fought hard not to laugh. 

Sephiroth was laying spread eagle across the mattress, asleep. 

"And here I was thinking general's didn't need sleep," she commented with a laugh slowly closing the door.

With her back resting against the door she gave a quiet sigh. Letting her mind wander she simply relaxed for a few minutes. 

__

Angry words being shouted through a closed door. Bitter tears flowing down crimson stained cheeks. Slowly the feeling of lost grew. Rejection shattering her fragile heart. 

With a gasp Aerith grabbed her chest fighting hard against the tears that mingled within her eyes. Chest heaving with each breath she tried to slow her breathing. Those were memories that didn't belong to her. They had to have been Tifa's thoughts.

__

Poor Tifa, Aerith though recalling the bitter memories. _Those angry words, I recognized that voice. It belonged to…_

"Cloud."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

****

Authors Note: We have lost our beloved Angel. She ditched me for the Air Force! Although the plot is a joint idea, the writing will now be all Tifa Gainsborough. Hope you enjoyed this chapter. Sorry it took so long, I own nothing.


End file.
